The last night in Brussels was quality. Met loads of people from various nationalities mainly in the hostel. There was one chinese guy. I got to practice my chinese. I went through a handful of phrases and the blank expression on the guys face said it all. Occasionally I did say something that was almost comprehend-able and much to the amusement of others the chinese guy correct me by saying something that was almost identical to what I'd just said. All the westerners could barely tell any difference between what I'd said and the correct way of saying things. It was quite an eye opener. I thought I was better than that. I've lowered my expectations of how much Chinese I want to learn. As long as I'm understood in the basic phrases I'll be happy.
So I'm in Bruges now. Popped some DF before the journey and slept on the aisle between the carriages. I woke up in Oostende. Luckily the Belgian public transport is dirt cheap so it was not a problem getting a train back to Bruges. The first thing I became aware of as soon as I got out the train in Oostende was the sound of seagulls.
Were it not for the 30c temperature and women in bikinis I would have thought I was back in Peterhead. Its strange how you never notice the gulls when you live amongst them.
Bruges is fantastic. It's really quiet because most people either walk or go on bicycles. The whole of the inner city is a world heritage site, every building is either old or made to look old. Its full of canals and little winding streets. The bridges all have vegetation growing out of the cracks in the bricks and the tips of the trees often dip into the water. I had a wander around for hours then got back to the hostel and was just going to chill out all night. The Aussie guy Colin (who was in my dorm) asked me if I wanted to go for a drink with some Irish guys he met in a walking tour. Although I wasn't really in the party mood I went along anyway. Really glad I did. Although I've never felt homesick since I've been homeless, being with the Irish makes me feel at home. Especially as they were top guys. It felt like a night out with the lads from back home. Before hitting the pubs myself Colin and Ceeva (irish bird with an unspellable name) went to an off-license to get cheap beer. A passer by thought we were buying beer with an alcohol content of -15%. muppet.
Medieval Bruges
Aussie Colin and one of two Irish Ceirans
Kevin from America, Ceiran and Seamus
Can't remember who the girl is, Joy I think)
The world's weakest beer, -15%
I got up today and was adament that I'd lost my bank cards. I walked to a police station then realised that it was in my bum bag, mad panic over. I then went to a laundrette and chatted to a 75 year old women from Arizona who's backpacking with her friend around europe who's also about that age. She was telling me about all her health problems (I won't go into length about all her heart conditions) and she was telling me about Sun City, a community for old people where she lives. Apparently there are 11 golf courses in the estate of her old folks home. She was a nurse all her working life and told me that she was a plastic surgeons nurse in California for a while. Apparently her clinic did Steven Spielbergs nose job and she's seen Dolly Partons boobs. The women was giving hand gestures to tell me how big Dollys Paps were, I don't know what passers by would have been thinking. I like Laundrettes, they are pretty cool places.
I've now checked in to my new home for tow nights then off to Antwerp on Monday. Should be good. Looking forward to meeting my housemates. They're all out at the moment. Between the 3 of them they have 8 items of footwear lying about and I'm assuming they have at least 11 plus possibly more in their bags. strange. I'm off to explore the city in my clean clothes, Adios
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